SPONSOR:	Sen. Copeland & Sens. Sorenson, Amick, Bonini, Cloutier, Connor, Simpson & Sen. Adams, on behalf of all Senators

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

144th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 22

COMMENDING JOHN C. STILL, III FOR TWENTY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF DELAWARE AND BIDDING FAREWELL TO OUR ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE AS HE RETIRES FROM THE SENATE IN 2008.

WHEREAS, John C. Still has served the people of the 17^th Senate District for twenty years with diligence and distinction; and

WHEREAS, John Still was first elected to the Senate in 1988, an election that marked the last time a challenger prevailed over an incumbent of the majority party in a Senate election; and

WHEREAS, John Still was reelected to the Senate five times in a highly-competitive senatorial district, resulting in his tenure of twenty years and making him the longest-serving Senator of his party from Kent County in the history of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, born in Dover, Delaware, John graduated from Smyrna High School, Wesley College and the University of Delaware, began his career as a public school teacher, and then attended American College where he earned professional designations of CLU & ChFC in the insurance industry; and

WHEREAS, John built a successful insurance agency through many years of hard work and perseverance, and his experience and expertise as a small business owner has benefited the Senate’s deliberation on issues involving insurance and finance; and

WHEREAS, Senate positions John Still has held include Senate Minority Leader from 2002-2006, and serving as a member of such notable Committees as Joint Finance, Bond, Sunset, Legislative Council and DEFAC, as well as Senate Standing Committees on Banking, Insurance & Elections, Small Business, Ethics, Executive, Agriculture, Revenue & Finance, and Natural Resources & Environmental Control; and

WHEREAS, Senator Still held national positions of leadership representing Delaware in the National Conference of State Legislatures as Chair of the NCSL Health Committee and as Vice Chair of NCSL’s Labor, Trade & Regulatory Committee; and

WHEREAS, at the local level he served as a member of the Dover Planning Commission and other affiliations include the Capital City Rotary, Smyrna Fire Department, Central Delaware Chamber Of Commerce, Delaware/Kent Association of Life Underwriters, and the American Society of CLU & ChFC; and

WHEREAS, John Still has played a key role in maintaining the renowned positive relationship between the Dover/Kent County community and Dover Air Force Base; along with honoring the mission and service of DAFB and its personnel, John has recognized and supported the vital importance of the Base to the region’s economy and overall quality of life, and DAFB has paid tribute to Senator Still by naming him Honorary Commander of DAFB and its squadrons on more than one occasion; and

WHEREAS, as the Senator representing Delaware’s capital city, John has been a strong advocate for state employees in a variety of ways; he was a primary force in implementing flexible and pre-tax benefits programs that have enhanced both the quality of life for individual employees and the quality of the state’s workforce through its ability to recruit and retain topnotch employees; and

WHEREAS, despite his business and management orientation, John has effectively taken up the cause of employees against management in cases where he was convinced that due process and fairness had been denied to individuals or groups of employees; and

WHEREAS, John has shown great compassion for constituents with real human needs, from his support of providing low-income housing when it was not a politically popular thing to do, to his personal support and encouragement of individuals who were victims of domestic abuse, addictions and other personal problems for which he has shown a real sensitivity and understanding; and

WHEREAS, Senator Still has announced his decision to retire from the Senate at the end of this 144^th General Assembly.

NOW THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 144^th General Assembly of the State of Delaware that we hereby extend our gratitude to The Honorable John C. Still, III for his positive contributions in the Senate on behalf of his constituents and the State of Delaware from 1988-2008 and extend our best wishes for his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution, suitably prepared, be presented to Senator Still upon its passage.